40 percent agree with the government challenge of U.S. Airways-American merger

Monday

Aug 19, 2013 at 11:00 AM

Here’s a look at am independent public opinion survey of 1,000 U.S. likely voters shows 40 percent agree with the government challenge of U.S. Airways-American merger.

Here’s the breakdown:

While 40 percent agree with the Justice Department’s decision to challenge the merger of US Airways and American Airlines, but 32 percent disagree with that challenge and a sizable 28 percent are not sure about it.

Forty-six percent believe airline prices will go up if the merger is allowed, while 32 percent think fares will remain about the same, 6 percent prices will go down and 16 percent are undecided.

Views about the merger’s impact on fares are nearly identical to those expressed by Americans in May 2010 just after United Airlines and Continental Airlines announced their planned merger, but the government did not stand in the way of that plan.

Regular air travelers agree even more strongly with the Justice Department challenge and are more convinced that it would lead to higher air fares if approved.

Sixty-three percent of those who travel by air more than once a month think fares would remain about the same, and just 27 percent agree with the Justice Department’s challenge.